Edit: Makes me wonder how much better p2pool would be if it was also in C++......
c/c++ are much better suited to the task than python. Python may be quick for development but p2pool has outgrown it. I toyed with the idea of rewriting p2pool in c ages ago but it's a veritable bootload of work. On the other hand, I may find a way to hook something like p2pool into my ckpool code or vice versa.